We are starting with your MTP work for June in this thread. You should post all your future assignments here man. For your 1st assignment I have decided to work on some theory and harmony (reading + questions) which will later lead into recording and playing assignments. So no worries, we will put all this written stuff to good use!

1st assignment :Theory and harmony reading with extra questions!

- I would like you to read my posts from links provided below.- Once you read it all, memorize 3 and 4 part harmony in C major scale.- Learn to apply scale degrees rather then numbers ( I in C major is C, IV in C is F etc).- Write out in this thread all notes for 3 and 4 part harmony in C major as well as in F and G major scales.

Good work man! Here are some pointers :1) Scale degree VII with 3 part harmony is actually diminished triad. Instead of writing minb5 you should use dim symbol. 2) In general when labeling minor chords, aim to use min instead of just m as it is not complete

Everything else was good man. Now you can do 4 other keys since we have time before 2nd assignment!

Fantastic work Denis! I will post your 2nd assignment today or tomorrow. Think about taking these chords and learning them on your guitar! I will give you some of my Triads lessons as well as 4 part harmony lessons.

This assignment is sort of like an essay or written theory behind your current level of knowledge. This will help me totally understand where you at right now. I will give you couple of topics from which you can choose one (or more if you want to!) and write me as many things as possible about it. The deadline for this assignment is 19th of June. Here are the topics for your 2nd assignment :

1) Tell me everything you know about major scale. Construction, intervals, harmony and everything else you feel I need to know.2) Tell me everything you know about cadences in major scale and its modes. Use C major scale for explanations.3) Tell me everything you know about major scale modes?4) Tell me everything you know about modal harmony?5) Tell me everything you know about pentatonic scales?6) Tell me everything you know about chord tone and tension relationship with harmony ?7) Tell me everything you know about natural/harmonic/melodic minor scale harmony?8) Tell me everything you know about natural/harmonic/melodic minor modes and harmony?

Remember, pick one (or more if you can do it by deadline) and write me as much as possible on given subject. I want to read and understand how you approach and understand given material.

I checked your collab take, there are two things that come to my mind straight away. 1) Tuning and 2) Climax of the solo. Tuning seems to be a bit off from actual backing track, always strive for perfection in that department (sounds flat to the actual backing). Your ideas are good however there is no final direction or destination in your solo, strong finish or ending. I also didn't here climax in your solo, where was it all leading? I haven't done collaboration in a while but if I do decide to do one in future I will let you know to join it so that we can work on those things.

- Check out Triads in a major scale Part 1HERE- Use backing track provided to record it.- Upload video on Youtube and embed it here.- Submit it for REC grading and in this thread here.

4th assignment :Superimposing with minor pentatonics + improvising

- Read Superimposing with Minor Pentatonics post HERE- After reading the whole thing with related link posts, think about choosing one chord and one approach you will use for recording!- After you have chosen your approach, record a backing track with that chord and on top of that record yourself soloing with 1 or all 3 minor pentatonics corresponding with that mode!- Post your work in this thread.

Let me give you an example here. Lets say that you have chosen A minor as your chord. Now you also chose A minor to be treated as II (Dorian sounding). In that case you should play minor pentatonics from G major scale ( A , B and E minor pentatonics) over A min chord in the background. 4th assignment asks you only to pick 1 but it also allows you to use all 3 pentatonics if you want to.Backing track doesn't have to be anything fancy for this purpose. Just guitar playing the chord will do, if you want to add bass and drums to that to make it sound tighter go ahead!

I checked your collab take, there are two things that come to my mind straight away. 1) Tuning and 2) Climax of the solo. Tuning seems to be a bit off from actual backing track, always strive for perfection in that department (sounds flat to the actual backing). Your ideas are good however there is no final direction or destination in your solo, strong finish or ending. I also didn't here climax in your solo, where was it all leading? I haven't done collaboration in a while but if I do decide to do one in future I will let you know to join it so that we can work on those things.

Pedja

Hi Pedja,

First of all sorry for the delay but I've been very busy in the past 10 days and still am. I hope everything will slow down a little bit after this week. So, I din't forget abut MTP or let it go it's just that I'm trying to fit it best I can in the current schedule.

Regarding your comment THANK YOU VERY MUCH!! I really feel it is honest and I will put more attention to these things you mentioned.I never really think about the climax in the solo I just write so I like it. My idea here was to like have a melody to which I just add some technical ornaments. But perhaps you are right..it doesnt lead to some 'conclusion/ climax'...I'll have that in mind next time. Hope we can work on it in your colab!!

QUOTE (Pedja Simovic @ Jun 12 2010, 05:23 PM)

2nd assignment :2) Tell me everything you know about cadences in major scale and its modes. Use C major scale for explanations.

Ok, I took this toppic beause I really didn't understand how to bring out the flavors of a specific mode. So tnx for this post!!

Here we go.

I hope it's no problem if I ask questions on places I feel uncertain?

I - I divided the modes on minor(min3rd) and major (maj 3rd) and wrote out their formulas. I took the Ionian as reference point for the major scales and the Aeolian for minor scales.

Ionian is the ''main'' major mode so it contains all the major chords. These are: Cmaj Fmaj Gmaj So ionian cadence idv: I IV V.

I must say that I'm a little confused by Dmin that you put into the cadence.The Emin (paralell minor of G) seemed more imporatnt to me because E is a very important note in the C chord (maj 3rd) and Emin contains also G wich id Vth in Cmaj.

I know that Dmin id paralell minor of F. CAN I Use perhaps both Dmin nad Emin as long as I finish with Cmaj?

D DORIAN:

I II bIII IV V VI bVII - DORIAN D E F G A B C

Comparing it to the mnor mode the Dorian is distinguished by the VI and not by bIV.So emphasising that note we get: Dmin to Bdim - because Bdim is diminished triade we dont use it.( Could you please explain if this because we are looking for pure triades or would it just sound odd? I tried it and to me it souds ok. Perhaps this doesnt bring out the mode flavor which has a perfect Vth ??)

B as 3dr Dmin to GmajB as 5th Dmin to Emin

So Dorian cadences:

I min to IVmaj Imin to II min I min IVmaj II min

E Frigian:

I bII bIII IV V bVI bVII - FRIGIAN E F G A B C D

So compared to the Aeolian the bII is specific. We get (constrictiong chord using bII): Emin to Fmaj - Imin to bIImaj Emin to Dmin - I min to bVIImin Emin Fmaj Dmin- Imin to bIImaj to bVIImin

( Could you please explain if this because we are looking for pure triades or would it just sound odd? I tried it and to me it souds ok. Perhaps this doesnt bring out the mode flavor which has a perfect Vth ??)

Denis let me respond to your question first.

B dim triad could be used over D Dorian mode but we wouldn't use it with D min triad as they are too much alike (one note difference). Nothing wrong with B dim triad, it has major 6th (characteristic note of the mode) , Root and Minor 3rd.

Regarding your assignment, you did great, thank you. I am waiting for your remaining assignments. Please make sure you complete them by 30th of June!

I watched your video, you did some very nice superimposing approaches. Your note choice was very tension based which was basically what my intention was with the superimposing assignment. Thank you for completing all the work in June. I will now close this thread for GMC management purposes and open July thread for you.